the
channel
|
17
interested in Germany and in Europe, particularly opinion leaders
and the so-called “information elites”. DW is also the “bridge home”
for Germans living overseas. In the new millennium, Deutsche Welle’s
profile sets great store in “regionalisation”. For DW-RADIO, this
means that programmers are focusing, for instance, on listeners in
the European Union accession countries. At the same time, the
German Service is opening Asian and African “time slots” and
intensifying – like the English Service – its focus on information, in
particular in the areas of business and the arts.
DW-RADIO’s English Service
“The reform of the global 24-hour service is part of our overall
corporate strategy and aims to sharpen our profile, especially in
the areas of Information, culture, the economy and regionalisation”,
says DW’s Director-General, Erik Bettermann. The number of
broadcasts of the current affairs magazine
Newslink
is being doubled
from four to eight editions a day, with the contents tailored to suit
the target area. The frequency of news bulletins is also being
increased. “Up-to-date information around the clock is our
trademark”, says the head of the English
Service and editor-in-chief Uta Thofern. “We
have optimised the broadcasting schedule for
our regionalised magazines and features,
taking account of the different target areas
and their time zones.”
While short-wave broadcasting continues to
have priority in Africa and Asia, in North
America, Australia and New Zealand Deutsche
Welle has opted for satellite and the internet
plus a substantial extension of re-
broadcasting. From summer time onwards,
the English Service is to be rebroadcast in
the US capital Washington on WAMU, an
affiliate of National Public Radio (NPR).
Newslink
will be available to all NPR-stations
via the Galaxy satellite. National broadcasters
CBC in Canada and ABC in Australia also
rebroadcast DW programmes.
The new, more attractive programming will be easier to market
amongst partner stations, with special emphasis on successful
formats such as
Arts on the Air,
Living in Germany
or the new arts
series
Inspired Minds.
The same applies to the business programme
Money Talks
and the science magazine
Spectrum
. The weekly magazine
Inside Europe
already has an established reputation in the USA.
The service to Asia and Africa is being supplemented by two new
half-hour programmes
Asia This Week
and
Africa This Week
, in addition
to the two regionalised editions of
Newslink
. Development issues
have a new weekly slot with
World In Progress,
and the
Man And
Environment
programme is being extended.
DW-TV
“Welcome to the
Journal
on DW-TV. Hallo, I’m Amrita Cheema in
Berlin.” Eight o’clock in the capital city – time for the news magazine
of Germany’s international television service. It includes ten minutes
of current events from all parts of the world with special attention
to Germany and Europe. Then the economy: news from the financial
markets and from business. The subsequent
Top Story
offers the
background details on a select topic of the day. The magazines –
such as
Made in Germany
, the business magazine,
European Journal
from Brussels or
Arts Unlimited
– significantly sharpen the new
profile. Documentaries and reports of
In Focus
cover a broad spectrum
of topics.
However, this new course makes it essential to cancel some
entertainment programming, such as talk shows and
Volksmusik
,
which had gained great popularity in particular among Germans and
German-speaking viewers living in other countries. Therefore an
additional, solely German-language, more entertainment-centred
channel is ventured for this target group. Conceived as a joint
project between DW, ARD and ZDF, GERMAN TV went on the air in
March 2002 initially launched as pay-TV for the United States.
One important aspect of the DW profile is its regionalisation. Last
year DW-TV opened two programme slots: the Nilesat satellite now
sends a three-hour Arabic Service to viewers in more than 20
countries. “We want to position DW-TV as a European alternative
and contribute to dialogue with the Islamic world,” is how Erik
Bettermann describes this objective. Another service is exclusively
for Afghan television. World news is compiled and taped in Berlin
by Afghan colleagues in the national languages of Dari and Pashto,
then transferred to Kabul where it is broadcast by the local station
at prime time. This media assistance is supplemented by more
programmes and by technical assistance.
DW-WORLD.DE
“We are wherever you are” is the motto of Deutsche Welle’s internet
site. At DW-WORLD.DE, users find one of the most modern multilingual
websites offering 31 languages, including Amharic, Chinese, Russian
and Urdu. Of course, German and English are among the main
languages. DW-WORLD.DE reports about politics, business, the arts
and exciting events in Germany and the world.
It is a very special task because each language has its own internet
market. For instance, the Chinese online editors report from a German
or European perspective, while always keeping their eyes open for
bilateral, German-Chinese stories. They must ask themselves, “is
this a topic that will interest our Chinese users?” All of the editors
of DW-WORLD.DE work to the same principle.
Communication is a two-way street
Communication goes two ways. Users are able to express their opinions,
ask questions and get involved via email or in discussion forums.
Feedback is expressly requested – and DW-WORLD.DE starts up new
surveys every day. The user’s opinion is wanted. Anyone who wants
to talk to users from all over the world can do so in the chat room of
DW-3D.DE. Once a week “Welcome to the Deutsche Kaffeestunde”
hosts the latest tittle-tattle serving an international group of guests.
Dialogue with Islam has a name: Qantara.de
Intercultural exchange is also the aim of another portal, in which DW
is a chief participant: Qantara.de promotes dialogue between Germany
and the Islamic world. The journalistic contributions and service
elements – in Arabic, English and German – reflect both similarities
and difference in the cultures. Interactive functions invite discussion,
without barring contentious issues. The portal’s target groups are
people from Islamic cultures as well as in Germany and Europe. The
integrative element is an interest in a dialogue between cultures.
The Instant Germanizer
And finally, the Instant Germanizer, located on the Internet at
is an entertaining multimedia community where
like-minded people can meet and exchange information about Germany.
Before joining the password-protected club, participants are required
to take a few hilarious tests to learn more about German stereotypes.
Once the tests are completed, the user is allowed access to an array
of interactive features such as a German language course, interesting
news, a discussion forum and a picture gallery where they can upload
pictures of their German experiences and send them as e-cards.
“Deutsche Welle is renowned for being a provider of serious news
and information. With The Instant Germanizer, we’ve aimed to break
the mould and focus on the fun aspects of German life and culture,”
says Guido Baumhauer, head of DW-Online. “The act of joining a
club is in itself a very typical German trait. The Germanizer club
offers users all over the world the opportunity to enter competitions
and win Germany-related prizes,” concludes Baumhauer.
Deutsche Welle is transforming itself into a multimedia company for the 21st century.
The Channel
looks at the organisation’s achievements and at its future plans.
Uta Thofern,
DW Radio Editor-in-Chief
ternational broadcasting
50
